Monkton men thank police

They commended McGraw and Baltimore County police for their quick actions after a string of house burglaries put Monkton in the news last month.

Many North County residents knew about the burglaries from a mass e-mail sent out by McGraw. He has 359 names on his e-mail tree and can zero in a particular neighborhood to send out notices, watches or warnings.

There were four daytime break-ins in Monkton on Jan. 20, and an alert resident spotted a grey Honda with two men acting suspiciously. He notified police and McGraw included that information in a mass e-mail.

Turns out that a Monkton homeowner who received the e-mail returned home on Jan. 24 to find a grey Honda in his driveway. He was able to get a partial license plate number before two men ran out of his garage, jumped into the car and took off.

The passenger jumped out of the car and was caught by police. The driver was killed in a crash on Dulaney Valley Road.

The two men delivering the basket to McGraw said his mass e-mails made all the difference in helping to stop the crime spree.

“Everybody knew about the burglaries and everybody was more alert and on the lookout for that car,” one said. “There’s nothing more powerful than an informed community.”